REDISCOVERING A TASTE FOR TRADITION


A breakfast reception hosted by Slow Food UK at Roast on Friday 1st December 2007, 8.30am

Speakers: Carlo Petrini, President Slow Food International,
David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition.

Panel Q and A : Carlo Petrini, David Cameron, Zac Goldsmith, Chris Walton – producer/SFUK and Farmer Sharp. Moderated by Sheila Dillon, Radio 4 Food Programme.

On 4th December 2006, Slow Food opened its first UK office in Ludlow, signalling a new chapter in the development of this international movement active in over 100 countries with a global membership in excess of 80,000. The UK has over 40 convivia (local member groups).

Important aspects of Slow Food’s work are the Ark of Taste and the Presidia. The Ark of Taste has catalogued over 750 extraordinary products from around the world that are threatened by economies of scale, particularly corporate globilisation and industrial standardisation. The Presidia are projects which work primarily with Ark of Taste products. Presidia objectives and strategies vary according to the product and producers involved. They range from providing a focus for producers, to co-ordinating promotion and establishing authenticity.

To date there are five Presidia in the UK : Artisan Cheddar, Old Gloucester Beef, Single and Double Gloucester Cheese, Three Counties Perry and Cornish Pilchards and Sardines. The Ark of Taste and Presidia are supported by the Slow Food Foundation of Biodiversity, which organises and funds projects that defend the world’s heritage or agrodiversity and gastronomic traditions. It envisions a new agricultural system that respects local cultural identities, the earth’s resources, sustainable animal and plant husbandry and the health of consumers.

Slow Food UK will make quality food widely available particularly through educational iniitiatives. Chair of Slow Food, Sue Miller says ‘We welcome Government’s endorsement of the recent FACE initiative for a food and farming year and the reconnection with new generations. Slow Food UK will be working with all political parties in areas of common interest.’

Editors Notes

The Slow Food reception was generously sponsored by Roast, owner Iqbal Wahhab said: ‘We are delighted to support the Slow Food Movement and the principles they espouse. Roast is a restaurant dedicated to using the best of British seasonal produce and there is a great fit between the values we hold in common’.

This event was also organised by Slow Food Member Angie Dodd, of Slow Food Cornwall.

The menu devised by Roast Head Cook, Lawrence Keogh, featured the best British produce and Slow Food Ark and Presidia Products:

Rock Oysters Kilpatrick (Colchester oysters are an Ark product)
Inverawe Smoked Trout and Scrambled Egg spoons
Sillfield Farm Port Chipolatas in Worchestershire Sauce (Peter Gott of Sillfield Farms l leads the local Slow Food Cumbria convivium
Sillfield Farm Bacon and Egg Tarts
The Forager Woodland Mushroom slice
Hot Scotch Eggs with Coronation Sauce
Toasted Cottage Loaf and England Preserves
Poached Orchard Fruits in Kingston Black Apple Aperitif with Thick Yoghurt
Slow Rabbit using Montgomery Cheddar (Presidium product)
Cornish Pilchard tasters (Presidium product)
Freshly shucked Fal Oysters (Ark product) with tasting of Meantime London Porter

Both Carlo Petrini and David Cameron’s speeches will be available post event – awaiting copy


There are over 40 local UK Slow Food groups (convivial), for more details see:
http://www.slowfood.com/about us/eng/where.lasso

Contact details:

www.slowfood.com and www.slowfood.org.uk

UK Office: 130 Corve Street, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 2PG.
Tel: 01584 879599
Contact: Fiona Richmond, Slow Food Co-ordinator:
f.richmond@slowfood.org.uk